Guide to Clermont-Ferrand – a cultural destination with fabulous museums, dazzling architecture, feast-worthy restaurants – and volcanoes!
Auvergne is a region of natural beauty and dramatic landscapes, located midway between Paris and the Mediterranean, anchored in the centre of France by the Massif Central and its 80 volcanoes. Janine Marsh explores the capital Clermont-Ferrand and climbs a volcano…
Guide to Clermont-Ferrand
In 2017, scientists monitoring volcanic activity in the Auvergne region, south of France, gulped as they watched seismic movement on the equipment that keeps watch over the city of Clermont Ferrand which is built on top of a volcano. The movement was sudden, and it was huge. How could this be they asked themselves, it came from nowhere, there hadn’t been an eruption here for thousands of years. There was talk of an immediate evacuation of the city’s 150,000 inhabitants.
Bizarrely though, the action was only in one part of the city – Place du Jaude. One of the scientists realised that ASM, the local rugby team were playing a league match that day and it’s a tradition for the fans to jump up and down to support the team. Their enthusiastic leaping was causing the ground to shake – the result looked just as it did for a volcanic eruption! And that sort of sums up Clermont-Ferrand – a city full of surprises, friendly, welcoming and fun.
The Romans had no idea that they were settled on top of a volcano when they arrived in about 50 BC. Neither did they realise that this hilltop city was surrounded by volcanoes that had been dormant for so long they were covered in trees and grass.
Clermont-Ferrand is one of the oldest cities in France and before the Romans, it was home to the famous Gaul chieftain Vercingetorix. Over the centuries, it was attacked by Vikings, Normans and Visigoths and also served as the starting point for the First Crusade (1095-1099). A 13th century Duke of Auvergne disliked the then Bishop of Clermont so much that he set up an alternative town next door known as Mont Ferrand, and it wasn’t until 1730 that the two towns merged.
What to see and do in Clermont-Ferrand
The best way to get your bearings in this hilly city is via a guided tour to discover its huge history, its secret mansions and courtyards (book a tour at the tourist office). The first thing you’ll notice is the dark stone of many of the buildings including the soaring 13th century Cathedral of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption, created from black rock, hewn from the interior of a volcano, nature’s alternative to concrete. The Cathedral was renovated and reconstructed in the 19th century by the great French architect Violet le Duc (Notre Dame Paris, Carcassonne Citadel).
Originally it featured a neo-Romanesque façade, but le Duc refashioned it in Gothic style to give it harmony. The result of his work is astonishing both outside and inside where the mellow light from the Gothic style chandeliers he introduced create an extraordinary cocooning effect. The black stone helps to make the glorious stained-glass windows look even more vibrant. The rose window is magnificent, and like most rose windows – a circle within a square – the circle representing heaven, the square representing earth and the stained glass representing the jewels to be found in heaven.
There are also modern stained-glass windows in the church, look carefully and you’ll spot a disciple wearing glasses and other oddities! Before this cathedral there was a church made from light stone, and when the sun rose and set, the church from its perched position would reflect the light and be seen from miles around and gave it the name Cler Mont – the light mountain.
A stone’s throw from the cathedral, my guide Oceane led me up some hidden stairs for a bird’s eye view over the 12th century UNESCO-listed Romanesque Basilica on the Pilgrim Route to Santiago de Compostela, an architecturally dazzling building which is brimming with religious symbolism. This is a great city to wander, and traces of its past are everywhere such as Rue de Gras, from Latin ‘gradus’ – graduated, a street which featured several staircases, and Rue des chaussetières (medieval panty hose – think Robin Hood style). Lava stone mansions line streets dotted with fountains.
Don’t miss a visit to Fromagerie Nivesse (fromagerie-nivesse.fr), one of the historic centre’s finest cheese makers. Their cheese tasting tour (available in English), is one of the best I’ve ever done. This region is famous for its cheeses and Clermont-Ferrand is itself like a big Emmental, full of holes and cellars. Below the cathedral are five levels of caves which dating to Roman times (open on heritage days), once used for maturing the famous Auvergne cheese, St Nectaire.
Fromagerie Nivesse works with local producers who start the maturation process which is then completed in the shop’s cellars. I started my taste tour with a blue cheese called Fourme de Valcivières, “there is only one producer of this, he has 40 cows and used to make it just for the people in the village,“ said the guide. On the wall is a cupboard full of darkening goats’ cheese “for those who like it really mature”. The taste of wildflowers in the Tomme de Fajoux aux Fleures gives it a slightly spicy, herby taste, like no cheese I’ve ever had before.
Saint Nectaire with its distinctive thick rind was next, one of the favourite cheeses of King Louis XIV. “We say it has a good poil de chat” says the guide – “cat’s fur”! Then it’s Cantal, one of the oldest known cheeses. Roman scribe Pliny the Elder wrote that it was a favourite cheese in Rome. After that we nibble on Salers, only made in summer, salty, creamy and earthy.
The portions are generous, with bread, salad and fruit, washed down with a local wine and at the end a cheesy dessert called Fontainebleau – a mix of whipped fromage blanc, cream and sugar. You won’t need to eat lunch after this!
Also try the fruit patés the town is famous for. Head to the shop of Hélène Martin-Mayeux which specialises in the real deal (auxdélicesdespuys.com). These sweets are a tradition from the 15th century and are adored by the locals. Helene is an expert on the topic and explains that the real thing is always filled with apricot jelly whatever the flavour on the outside – strawberry, passion fruit, mandarin, blueberry and even angelica which grows only in water where there is a lot of sun.
Culture vultures will find plenty to enjoy at several museums including the excellent Musée Bargoin archaeology and textile museum, and the Henri LeCoq science and technology museum.
Michelin
From the city centre take the tram into the old Montferrand part of the town to visit the Michelin Adventure museum. This was the first tram system built in France – by Michelin! Almost every family in Clermont had someone working at Michelin tyre company over the years and it doesn’t matter if tyres don’t interest you one little bit, it’s a surprisingly fascinating presentation of Michelin’s history, telling the story of the Michelin brothers rise to fame and wealth, the company’s progress and the huge influence they had on the city and its people as well as on France and further afield. End the tour in the Gran Turismo section where you can enjoy a simulated sports car race.
Volcanoes
The number one attraction for visitors to Clermont-Ferrand, are the volcanoes, which you can clearly see from the city. The Puy-de-Dôme is the highest of the dormant (not extinct, the last eruption was around 8500 years ago) volcanoes of the Chaîne des Puys which were born from successive eruptions that burst through the surface of the earth around 11,000 years ago. You can hike to the top or, as I did, hop on an electric railway to gently glide to the top. There is a restaurant, bar, museum, laboratory with a cloud catching window – the scientists test the cloud content to monitor water, bacteria and pollution.
Most extraordinary are the ruins of a Roman Temple built to honour the God Mercury. And the views are mesmerising as you take in the panorama of some 80 volcanoes. Equally incredible is how quickly the weather changes. I arrived under a blue sky with clear views but within minutes of alighting from the train, dark clouds began rolling in and swirling around me, cold and damp. And then it cleared again – a majestic natural phenomenon.
You can visit several of the volcanoes including Puy du Pariou, the star of Volvic commercials. Reaching 1,290 metres above sea level, this volcano has two hiking trails to the top. You can even descend into its centre to explore the bottom of the crater.
Where to eat out
The locals love:
La Fille à papa (restaurantfilleapap.com): Lovely friendly staff, super menu of traditional with a hint of Asian fusion. This would be my go-to if I lived in Clermont-Ferrand.
Le Bistrot de la Butte (lebistrotdelabutte.fr): Traditional bistro with a great value menu, generous portions and in a lovely location in Place de la Victoire.
La Gourmandine (gourmandine-restaurant.com): Bistronomic restaurant with a fab menu – book in advance if you can, this place is much loved by the locals.
Le Zenith de mon Père (lezenithdemonpere.com): Open since 1947, you’ll get a warm welcome and a great choice of traditional dishes.
Le Devant (restaurant-ledevant.com): Very popular with the locals. The menu changes daily – and it’s always delicious. In the evening they play great rock music and the place has a really great vibe.
Where to stay
Hôtel Littéraire Alexandre Vialatte, 4* hotel on the Place de Lille which was once the crossing point between Clermont and Mont Ferrand. Big comfy rooms, lovely staff, fabulous breakfast room with views over the city and easy walking distance to the train station and tram stops.
How to get there
By train: The fast TGV train connects Clermont-Ferrand to Paris from just three hours.
By plane: Clermont-Ferrand Auvergne airport is 7km from the centre of town.
More information from the Clermont Auvergne Volcans Tourist office: clermontauvergnevolcans.com
Janine Marsh is the author of several internationally best-selling books about France. Her latest book How to be French – a celebration of the French lifestyle and art de vivre, is out now – a look at the French way of life. Find all books on her website janinemarsh.com
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